Cristoforo Colombo - Waterbury, CT - Statues of Historic Figures on Waymarking.com

A 7' by 2' by 2.5' granite statue of Cristoforo Colombo stands on a 4.5' high by 5.5' square granite base. The statue was created by Frank Chalfant Gaylord, II and fabricated at the Ciarlo Monumental Works. It was dedicated on October 12, 1984.

The explorer is standing in front of a pair of posts and a coil of rope. He is wearing a knee length smock and a calf length fur trimmed coat. A medallion hangs around his neck on a chain. He is holding a a sextant at waist level in his right hand and a scroll by his left side in his left hand.

On the front of the base is the engraved image of his flagship the Santa Maria and the inscription:

The left and right sides are engraved with the images of sailing ships and the inscription PINTA and NINA respectively. The back is inscribed ERECTED AND DEDICATED OCTOBER 12, 1984.

Christopher Columbus was born about October 31, 1451 in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. He was an explorer and navigator whose voyages of exploration were financed by the Monarchs of Spain. He made four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean, the publicity from which led to an awareness by Europeans of the existence of a New World. He established permanent settlements on the island of Hispaniola and started the colonization process of the New World. He died in Valladolid, Spain on May 20, 1506 at age 54.

Columbus explored the southern Caribbean on his third and fourth voyages. On the fourth voyage (1502-1504) he explored the coast of present day Panama which was part of Colombia until achieving independence from Colombia in 1903. The country of Colombia is named in honor of Christopher Columbus.